“Till, what no words effected Thought achieved: _It was my wraith_—projected, He conceived, Thither, by my tense brain at home aggrieved. “Thereon his credence centred Till he died; And, no more tempted, entered Sanctified, The little vault with room for one beside.” III Thus far the lady’s story.— Now she, too, Reclines within that hoary Last dark mew In Mellstock Quire with him she loved so true. A yellowing marble, placed there Tablet-wise, And two joined hearts enchased there Meet the eyes; And reading their twin names we moralize: Did she, we wonder, follow Jealously? And were those protests hollow?— Or saw he Some semblant dame? Or can wraiths really be? Were it she went, her honour, All may hold, Pressed truth at last upon her Till she told— (Him only—others as these lines unfold.) Riddle death-sealed for ever, Let it rest! . . . One’s heart could blame her never If one guessed That go she did. She knew her actor best. UNREALIZED DOWN comes the winter rain— Spoils my hat and bow— Runs into the poll of me; But mother won’t know. We’ve been out and caught a cold, Knee-deep in snow; Such a lucky thing it is That mother won’t know! Rosy lost herself last night— Couldn’t tell where to go. Yes—it rather frightened her, But mother didn’t know. Somebody made Willy drunk At the Christmas show: O ’twas fun! It’s well for him That mother won’t know! Howsoever wild we are, Late at school or slow, Mother won’t be cross with us, Mother won’t know. How we cried the day she died! Neighbours whispering low . . . But we now do what we will— Mother won’t know. WAGTAIL AND BABY A BABY watched a ford, whereto A wagtail came for drinking; A blaring bull went wading through, The wagtail showed no shrinking. A stallion splashed his way across, The birdie nearly sinking; He gave his plumes a twitch and toss, And held his own unblinking. Next saw the baby round the spot A mongrel slowly slinking; The wagtail gazed, but faltered not In dip and sip and prinking. A perfect gentleman then neared; The wagtail, in a winking, With terror rose and disappeared; The baby fell a-thinking. ABERDEEN (April: 1905) “And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.”—Isaiah xxxiii. 6.